What I've been up to
Early on in September, I started working for the Census again, this time doing Non-Response Follow-Up work. Basically, I'd get a list of addresses sent to me via my (re-issued) smartphone, and go out to check on them---these were addresses that had been counted at the last census, but hadn't responded so far to the 2020 Census.
While I was mostly in and near my home town, I found myself being sent all over, mostly up into Northeastern Iowa. I put in a lot of hours, and a lot of miles on the road. Quite a few times, I found that the addresses I had been sent to were either not presently inhabited, derelict, or out-and-out nonexistent. I got a lot of overtime, since I was careful to time the hours I was available to work to take maximum advantage of the fact that after 6 PM, I got extra pay for working into the evening.
The work itself was not terribly difficult, save only for stairs! My leg was bothering me, and quite a few of the addresses I had to check were at the top of flights of stairs. I soon learned to dread that sight; I had to drag myself up those damn stairs with my heavy bag of gear, and all too often, it was all for nothing.
The Census was supposed to stop at the end of October, but partly due to the Dread Disease, we went on for a week or so into October. At last, we were told that it had ended, and I turned in my gear in a neighboring town.
After that, life was rather uneventful, save for a trip to the doctor. Save only for my excessive weight and a few minor matters ancillary to that, I'm in excellent health for my age.
It was a good thing I went to the doctor when I did. A few days later, my car developed a very scary sway in the rear, bad enough that I was afraid to drive it even in a lot of places in town, much less out of town. Apparently the rust had really got to it----both control arms are gone, and the trackbar's hanging by a thread. So, I'm trapped on foot until after Christmas. My brother's gifting me a car that belonged to his mother-in-law, who can't drive any more, but this is a serious inconvenience, to say the least.
On Election Day, I served as a precinct official in my precinct's polling place. It wasn't hard at all, and on the whole, I rather enjoyed it. Getting paid also helped. I can use every penny I can get. As for the results of the election, I wish things had come out differently, but that's another rant for later.